shorter logic-第14节

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A　second　method　of　apprehending　the　truth　is　Reflection；　which　defines　it　by　intellectual　relations
of　condition　and　conditioned。　But　in　these　two　modes　the　absolute　truth　has　not　yet　found　its
appropriate　form。　The　most　perfect　method　of　knowledge　proceeds　in　the　pure　form　of　thought：
and　here　the　attitude　of　man　is　one　of　entire　freedom。

That　the　form　of　thought　is　the　perfect　form；　and　that　it　presents　the　truth　as　it　intrinsically　and
actually　is；　is　the　general　dogma　of　all　philosophy。　To　give　a　proof　of　the　dogma　there　is；　in　the　first
instance；　nothing　to　do　but　show　that　these　other　forms　of　knowledge　are　finite。　The　grand
Scepticism　of　antiquity　accomplished　this　task　when　it　exhibited　the　contradictions　contained　in
every　one　of　these　forms。　That　Scepticism　indeed　went　further：　but　when　it　ventured　to　assail　the
forms　of　reason；　it　began　by　insinuating　under　them　something　finite　upon　which　it　might　fasten。　All
the　forms　of　finite　thought　will　make　their　appearance　in　the　course　of　logical　development；　the
order　in　which　they　present　themselves　being　determined　by　necessary　laws。　Here　in　the
introduction　they　could　only　be　unscientifically　assumed　as　something　given。　In　the　theory　of　logic
itself　these　forms　will　be　exhibited；　not　only　on　their　negative；　but　also　on　their　positive　side。

When　we　compare　the　different　forms　of　ascertaining　truth　with　one　another；　the　first　of　them；
immediate　knowledge；　may　perhaps　seem　the　finest；　noblest；　and　most　appropriate。　It　includes
everything　which　the　moralists　term　innocence　as　well　as　religious　feeling；　simple　trust；　love；
fidelity；　and　natural　faith。　The　two　other　forms；　first　reflective；　and　secondly　philosophical
cognition；　must　leave　that　unsought　natural　harmony　behind。　And　so　far　as　they　have　this　in
common；　the　methods　which　claim　to　apprehend　the　truth　by　thought　may　naturally　be　regarded　as
part　and　parcel　of　the　pride　which　leads　man　to　trust　to　his　own　powers　for　a　knowledge　of　the
truth。　Such　a　position　involves　a　thorough…going　disruption；　and；　viewed　in　that　light；　might　be
regarded　as　the　source　of　all　evil　and　wickedness　…　the　original　transgression。　Apparently　therefore
the　only　way　of　being　reconciled　and　restored　to　peace　is　to　surrender　all　claims　to　think　or　know。

This　lapse　from　natural　unity　has　not　escaped　notice；　and　nations　from　the　earliest　times　have
asked　the　meaning　of　the　wonderful　division　of　the　spirit　against　itself。　No　such　inward　disunion　is
found　in　nature：　natural　things　do　nothing　wicked。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　tales　and　allegories　of　religion

This　lapse　from　natural　unity　has　not　escaped　notice；　and　nations　from　the　earliest　times　have
asked　the　meaning　of　the　wonderful　division　of　the　spirit　against　itself。　No　such　inward　disunion　is
found　in　nature：　natural　things　do　nothing　wicked。

The　Mosaic　legend　of　the　Fall　of　Man　has　preserved　an　ancient　picture　representing　the　origin　and
consequences　of　this　disunion。　The　incidents　of　the　legend　form　the　basis　of　an　essential　article　of
the　creed；　the　doctrine　of　original　sin　in　man　and　his　consequent　need　of　succour　。　It　may　be　well
at　the　commencement　of　logic　to　examine　the　story　which　treats　of　the　origin　and　the　bearings　of
the　very　knowledge　which　logic　has　to　discuss。　For；　though　philosophy　must　not　allow　herself　to
be　overawed　by　religion；　or　accept　the　position　of　existence　on　sufferance；　she　cannot　afford　to
neglect　these　popular　conceptions。　The　tales　and　allegories　of　religion；　which　have　enjoyed　for
thousands　of　years　the　veneration　of　nations；　are　not　to　be　set　aside　as　antiquated　even　now。

Upon　a　closer　inspection　of　the　story　of　the　Fall　we　find；　as　was　already　said；　that　it　exemplifies
the　universal　bearings　of　knowledge　upon　the　spiritual　life。　In　its　instinctive　and　natural　stage；
spiritual　life　wears　the　garb　of　innocence　and　confiding　simplicity；　but　the　very　essence　of　spirit
implies　the　absorption　of　this　immediate　condition　in　something　higher。　The　spiritual　is　distinguished
from　the　natural；　and　more　especially　from　the　animal；　life；　in　the　circumstance　that　it　does　not
continue　a　mere　stream　of　tendency；　but　sunders　itself　to　self…realisation。　But　this　position　of
severed　life　has　in　its　turn　to　be　suppressed；　and　the　spirit　has　by　its　own　act　to　win　its　way　to
concord　again。　The　final　concord　then　is　spiritual；　that　is；　the　principle　of　restoration　is　found　in
thought；　and　thought　only。　The　hand　that　inflicts　the　wound　is　also　the　hand　which　heals　it。

We　are　told　in　our　story　that　Adam　and　Eve；　the　first　human　beings；　the　types　of　humanity；　were
placed　in　a　garden；　where　grew　a　tree　of　life　and　a　tree　of　the　knowledge　of　good　and　evil。　God；　it
is　said；　had　forbidden　them　to　eat　of　the　fruit　of　this　latter　tree：　of　the　tree　of　life　for　the　present
nothing　further　is　said。　These　words　evidently　assume　that　man　is　not　intended　to　seek　knowledge；
and　ought　to　remain　in　the　state　of　innocence。　Other　meditative　races；　it　may　be　remarked；　have
held　the　same　belief　that　the　primitive　state　of　mankind　was　one　of　innocence　and　harmony。　Now
all　this　is　to　a　certain　extent　correct。　The　disunion　that　appears　throughout　humanity　is　not　a
condition　to　rest　in。　But　it　is　a　mistake　to　regard　the　natural　and　immediate　harmony　as　the　right
state。　The　mind　is　not　mere　instinct：　on　the　contrary；　it　essentially　involves　the　tendency　to
reasoning　and　meditation。　Childlike　innocence　no　doubt　has　in　it　something　fascinating　and
attractive：　but　only　because　it　reminds　us　of　what　the　spirit　must　win　for　itself。　The　harmoniousness
of　childhood　is　a　gift　from　the　hand　of　nature：　the　second　harmony　must　spring　from　the　labour　and
culture　of　the　spirit。　And　so　the　words　of　Christ；　'Except　ye　become　as　little　children'；　etc。；　are
very　far　from　telling　us　that　we　must　always　remain　children。

Again；　we　find　in　the　narrative　of　Moses　that　the　occasion　which　led　man　to　leave　his　natural　unity
is　attributed　to　solicitation　from　without。　The　serpent　was　the　tempter。　But　the　truth　is；　that　the　step
into　opposition；　the　awakening　of　consciousness；　follows　from　the　very　nature　of　man；　and　the
same　history　repeats　itself　in　every　son　of　Adam。　The　serpent　represents　likeness　to　God　as
consisting　in　the　knowledge　of　good　and　evil：　and　it　is　just　this　knowledge　in　which　man
participates　when　he　breaks　with　the　unity　of　his　instinctive　being　and　eats　of　the　forbidden　fruit。
The　first　reflection　of　awakened　consciousness　in　men　told　them　that　they　were　naked。　This　is　a
naive　and　profound　trait。　For　the　sense　of　shame　bears　evidence　to　the　separation　of　man　from　his
natural　and　sensuous　life。　The　beasts　never　get　so　far　as　this　separation；　and　they　feel　no　shame。
And　it　is　in　the　human　feeling　of　shame　that　we　are　to　seek　the　spiritual　and　moral　origin　of　dress；
compared　with　which　the　merely　physical　need　is　a　secondary　matter。

Next　comes　the　Curse；　as　it　is　called；　which　God　pronounced　upon　man。　The　prominent　point　in
that　curse　turns　chiefly　on　the　contrast　between　man　and　nature。　Man　must　work　in　the　sweat　of
his　brow：　and　woman　bring　forth　in　sorrow。　As　to　work；　if　it　is　the　result　of　the　disunion；　it　is　also
the　victory　over　it。　The　beasts　have　nothing　more　to　do　but　to　pick　up　the　materials　required　to
satisfy　their　wants：　man　on　the　contrary　can　only　satisfy　his　wants　by　himself　producing　and
transforming　the　necessary　means。　Thus　even　in　these　outside　things　man　is　dealing　with　himself。

The　story　does　not　close　with　the　expulsion　from　Paradise。　We　are　further　told；　God　said；　'Behold
Adam　is　become　as　one　of　us；　to　know　good　and　evil。'　Knowledge　is　now　spoken　of　as　divine；
and　not；　as　before；　as　something　wrong　and　forbidden。　Such　words　contain　a　confutation　of　the
idle　talk　that　philosophy　pertains　only　to　the　finitude　of　the　mind。　Philosophy　is　knowledge；　and　it　is
through　knowledge　that　man　first　realises　his　original　vocation；　to　be　the　image　of　God。　When　the
record　adds　that　God　drove　men　out　of　the　garden　of　Eden　to　prevent　their　eating　of　the　tree　of
life；　it　only　means　that　on　his　natural　side　certainly　man　is　finite　and　mortal；　but　in　knowledge
infinite。

We　all　know　the　theological　dogma　that　man's　nature　is　evil；　tainted　with　what　is　called　Original
Sin。　Now　while　we　accept　the　dogma；　we　must　give　up　the　setting　of　incident　which　represents
original　sin　as　consequent　upon　an　accidental　act　of　the　first　man。　For　the　very　notion　of　spirit　is
enough　to　show　that　man　is　evil　by　nature；　and　it　is　an　error　to　imagine　that　he　could　ever　be
otherwise。　To　such　extent　as　man　is　and　acts　like　a　creature　of　nature；　his　whole　behaviour　is　what
it　ought　not　to　be。　For　the　spirit　it　is　a　duty　to　be　free；　and　to　realise　itself　by　its　own　act。　Nature　is
for　man　only　the　starting…point　which　he　has　to　transform。　The　theological　doctrine　of　original　sin　is
a　profound　truth；　but　modem　enlightenment　prefers　to　believe　that　man　is　naturally　good；　and　that
he　acts　right　so　long　as　he　continues　true　to　nature。

The　hour　when　man　leaves　the　path　of　mere　natural　being　marks　the　difference　between　him；　a
self…conscious　agent；　and　the　natural　world。　But　this　schism；　though　it　forms　a　necessary　element　in
th